Tennessee's elderly are increasingly becoming the victims of abuse and financial exploitation, state officials announced Wednesday.

And what's seemingly worse, officials say they are being targeted by several groups, including their own family.

While Tennessee lawmakers have stiffened laws to protect elderly in the law few years, the State Comptroller's Office said elder financial exploitation and abuse appears to be increasing across the state.

From 2015 to 2019, elder abuse was up 52% and exploration reports were up 87%, according to the Adult Protective Services (APS) program in the Tennessee Department of Human Services.

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